Internal-combustion motor



Dec. 25, 1928.

W. FUHR INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR Filed April 30, 1927 ZShets-Sheet 1 lllllHI w. FUHR INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1927 Patented Dec. 25,1928

UNITED STATES WILLIAM FUHR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' INTERNAL-COMBUSTION MOTOR.

Application filed April 30, 1927. Serial No. 187,780.

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion motors, and more particularly a motor; of the air-cooled type characterized by such novel features of ,design as a rotating cylinder block in which the cylinders are arranged concentrically about an axis arranged at an obtuse angle to the main drive shaft. Othernovel features of construction include the valve 10 mechanism, spark timing and lubrication.

The object of the invention is to provide a motor especially designed for automobiles which will be light in weight, compact and simple in construction with relatively few parts and high in efliciency. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the motor in side 20 elevation. I

Figure 2 is a View of the motor in vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is a view in cross section through the cylinder head as taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of the valve sleeve removed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the moving parts of the ignition mechanism; and

Figure 6 is a view in cross section taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the main moving parts of the motor are mounted upon and rotate about a fixed shaft 10 having a short horizontal lower end portion 10 and a longer upper portion 10 extending upwardly at an angle of approximately 120 to the horizontal lower end portion. Rig idly secured to the upper end of the shaft 10 is a tubular sleeve 'llforming an extension of said shaft 10. At the upper end of the sleeve 11 and at the lower end of the shaft 10, are thrust collars 12 and 13 respectively. Arrangedaxially of the shaft 10 and extension 11, is a cylindric housing 14, its upper portion having the form of a separable conical cap 15 supporting the upper thrust bearing 12. The lower end portion of the housing 14 is concentric with the horizontal piston of the shaft 10 and abuts against a circular base plate 16 closing the end of the housing. F or-med integral with the base plate 16 is a horizontal shaft bearing 16 in which is journaled the main drive shaftl? in axial alignment with the horizontal end portion 10? of the stationary shaft 10, and terminating adjacent the end thereof in an endwise opening cup bearing 11' in which the thrust collar 13 is seated. Surrounding the bearing 1'? is an integral radial flange 17. p

Rotatively mounted on the inclined portion of the shaft 10 and its extension sleeve 11, is a cylindric motor block 18 having a multitude of annular ribs 18 onits outer surface. Formed in the cylindric block are same number and arrangement of crank arms as there are'cylinders in the cylinder block. Connected with each crank arm is a connecting rod 21 and at the up oer end of each connectii-ig rod is a piston 2; mounted in each of the cylinders for reciprocating movement therein.) At the lower end of the cylinder block is an axial sleeve extending substantially to the crank disc 20 and to which is keyed a bevel gear 23 meshing with a bevel gear 24E formed integral with said crank disc and located at the forward end immediately surrounded by the crank arms 20.

At the upper end of the cylinder block 19 is a cylinder head 25 bolted thereto in the usual'manner and having a series of cavities therein registering with the cylinders and forming the compression chambers thereof. The cylinder head 25 is conical in shape and conforms generally with the contour of the housing cap 15. The outer surface of the cylinder head is likewise provided with annular ribs or fins 2-5.

Integral with the cylinder head 25 and extending axially thereof is a cylindric wall 26 spaced from the extension sleeve 11 of the shaft 10 and forming'a chamber for .a stationary valve sleeve 27 having an extension 27 of reduced diameter extending upwardly and surrounding said extension sleeve beyond the cylinder head 25. The valve sleeve 27 is divided lengthwise into an upper intake chamber 28 and a lower exhaust chamber 29 separated by an internal radial Wall 30 surrounding the bearing sleeve 11. In the valve sleeve (Figure 4) and communicating with the inlet and exhaust chambers, are series of inlet and exhaust ports 28 and 29 respectively, there being the same number of each as there are cylinders, namely, live. The ports are arranged circumferentially about the valve sleeve and oifset axially so that each port will register with but one inlet and exhaust port to the compression chambers in the cylinder head, these last mentioned ports being formed'in the cylindric wall 26 surrounding the valve sleeve as at 26 and 26*, these representing ports registering with one of the inlet and exhaust ports, respectively, in the valve sleeve.

Immediately above the cylinder head are the moving parts of the ignition system (Figure 5) comprising a disc 31 mounted on an axially extending sleeve 32 of said cyl inder head and adapted to rotate therewith. This disc is preferably made of an insulating material and about its periphery are a series of terminals 31 electrically connected by wires with spark plugs 33 mounted in the cylinder head 25, there being a spark plug for each cylinder. Each of the terminals 31 is connected with a fixed contact 34 facing upwardly adjacent the periphery of the disc and flush with the top face thereof. Immediately above the fixed disc 31 is a retative disc35 mounted at the upper end; of the extension sleeve 27 of the valve sleeve 27. This disc serves as a distributor and carries a single contact 35 having wiping contacts with the'contacts 34 so that each cylinder is fired in rotation as the cylinder block rotates.

Above the rotative disc 35 is a fixed or stationary disc 36 surrounding the upper end portion of the bearing sleeve 11.just below the thrust bearing collar 12. On the upper side of the disc 36 and in corresponding position on the upper face of the lower disc 31, are integral. beveled gear 36 and 31*, respectively. These beveled gears mesh with apinion 37 carried by the intermediate rotating disc 35 and journaled on a radial bearing 37 The beveled pinion 37 meshes with the gear of the upper stationary disc and with the gear of the lower disc which rotates at full speed with the cylinder block and also carried by the intermediate disc 35, which in turn carries the valve sleeve thereby providing a planetary drive for said valve sleeve, the same turning with said interme diate disc at a reduced speed, namely, one-- half the speed of the cylinder block. In this vay the proper timing of the valves is obtained so that the inlet and exhaust ports ofeach cylinder are opened and closed at the proper period with respect to the cycle of events in theirrespective cylinders.

Provision is also made for advancing and retarding the spark, by permitting the intermediate disc to be rotated bodily through a predetermined are controlled by a lever 38 (Figure 1) connected with the disc through a slot 39 in the housing cap and connected with a suitable spark control lever.

Referring now to the passages for the intake and exhaust gases to and from the valve sleeve, it will be noted (Figure 2) that the tubular extension sleeve 11 forms a passage extending from the base of the valve member and opening upwardly through the thrust bearing 12 at its upper end. Near the bottom of this passage are a series of ex haust ports 40 through the extension hearing sleeve 11 and opening into the lower exhaust chamber 27 f the valve member. Just above these ports is the lower end of an exhaust pipe 41 having internal threaded connection with the inner wall of the passage opposite the division wall 30, separating the inlet and exhaust chambers in the valve member 27. This exhaust pipe is extended upwardly to the end of the passage and is connected with an elbow 12 mounted in the top of the thrust bearing collar 12. A continuation i3 of the exhaust pipe extends downwardly to a mufller or direct to the atmosphere.

The passage surrounding the exhaust pipe 41 is slightly increased in diameter to form an annular intake passage 44:, connected at its upper end with a pipe &5- fitted into a connecting radial passage 44 in the bearing collar 12. The pipe 45 leads to a carburetor 46 of any approved design mounted on the housing cap 15 with its air intake 46 opening downwardly into the space within the housing cap. The lower end of the intake passage M has a similar arrangen'ient of holes or ports 47, as at the lower end of the exhaust. passage, and leading into the inlet chamber 28 of the valve member 27.

The foregoing description completes the essential parts of the motor,.theoperation of which may be now disclosed.

The motor is started either by a hand or an electric starter. by turning or rotating the drive shaft 17 which in turn rotates the cylinder block until ignition takes place whereupon it continues to rotate at a high speed on its bearing shaft 10 and sleeve 11 by virtue of the impulses delivered to the crank disc 20 from the pistons in the cylinders. It will be seen that the thrust of each piston as it is driven downwardly by the expansion of the explosive mixture, is transmitted through its connecting rod to its respective crank arm. just after it has passed top dead center, and except for the fact that the thrust on the crank is at an angle of about to the axis of Ill) the drive shaft instead of 90 as in the ordinary internal combustion motor, the power developed is quite-comparable in amount and uniformly of impulse to other types of motors of the same displacement.

The lubricating system of the motor in cludes a reservoir 48 at the bottom of the housing or crank case, and separated by a screen 49 from the space above. An oil pump 50 chain driven from the main drive shaft 17 forces the oil through a pipe 51 to the disc 36 at the upper end of the cylinder head where it is delivered to the several gear bearings and bearing surfacest- From thence it finds its way by gravity along the bearing shaft sleeve 11 and shaft 10, back into the crank case, splash lubrication is provided for the crank disc and connecting rod bearings, and a nozzle 51* inserted in the tail pipe just below the cylinder block and directed inwardly providing lubrication for the gearing connecting the crank disc and cylinder block.

A generator 52 is mounted on the motor housingpreferably to the base plate 16, and driven from the main drive shaft through gearing or a chain 53, as shown in Figure 2. At the rear end of the motor and mounted on the extreme end of the main drive shaft- 1? is the usuail clutch. disc 54: forming a part of the clutch mechanism.

Since the motor has no crank shaft having a projecting end to which a starting crank can be mounted, as special arrangement for starting or turning over the motor is provided. This consists of a loose pulley 55, mounted on a reduced outer end portion 56 of the main drive shaft bearing 16, immediately adjacent the clutch discf54. A cable 57 is attached to the periphery of the pulley and extends upwardly to a point where it can be pulled to rotate the pulley through one half a revolution from its normal position, a helical spring 58 is fixed at one end to the pulley and at its other end to the sleeve 56 on which the pulley is mounted. Adjacent the periphery of the pulley is also carried on arm at one end adapted to engage a fixed stop member 59 at its other end is mounted a pawl 60 engaging a ratchet wheel 61, integral with the clutch disc 54.

Thus by drawing upwardly on the cable 57 the pulley is rotated through one half a revolution thereby placing the spring 58 under tension sufficient to turn the pulley in the opposite direction when the cable is released at the same time carrying the clutch disc within it, through the connection established by the .pawl and ratchet teeth until the pulley is held from further turning by contact with the stop 59.

A dust and oil guard is mounted within the housing and at the base of the cylinder block 18. This guard consists of a flat ring 62, secured to an annular flange- 63 extei iding around the inside of the housing by means of bolts 64, and held in light yielding contact with the edge of the cylinder block by coil springs 65 mounted on the bolts; V

The motor as thus designed would, for use in motor vehicles, be mounted in the forward motor compartment and concealed beneath a hood of the usual shape. 7 For-this purpose a collar 66 surrounding the main bearing 16 and bolted to a transverse frame member 67 of the vehicle chassis provided as well as brackets 68 secured to the bearing and bolted to the side frame members (not shown). In front of the motor would be provided an open space partially closed by a grating for the admission of air. The motor is air or self-cooled so that noradiator is needed and no cooling system other than the free passage of air in and around the motor, it being noted that the housing and housing cap are provided with large openings for this purpose. Since the cylinder block revolves, it creates its own circulation of air through the housing and, with the aid of the surface ribs or'fins, the heat is rapidly and effectively ex pel led. Y

The revolving cylinder block dispenses with the necessity of a fly wheel, since the block itself serves as such. This feature, however, is not originalsince it is known that aeroplane motors have been designed with revolving cylinders. .However, the novel features of the present disclosure are lightness in: weight, compactness, simplicity of parts and self-cooling of the cylinders,

wvith the attendant elimination of a cooling system. f

I claim 1. In an internal combustion motor, the combination of a main drive shaft, a crank disc mounted on said drive shaft and provided. with radial crank arms, a crank case for said crank disc, a bearing shaft supported at its lower end in said crank case, and extending upwardly at an obtuse angle to the axis of said drive shaft, a cylinder block rotatively mounted on said bearing shaft, a cylindric housing surrounding said cylinder block and fixed to said crank case, a support at the upper end of said housing for the adjacent end of said bearing shaft, pistons mounted on said cylinders, connecting rods connecting each of said pistons with a corresponding crank arm, and gear members connecting said crank disc with the adjacent end of said cylinder block.

2. In an internal combustion motor, the combination of an axially rotative cylinder block, a crank disc operatively connected with said cylinder block to rotate therewith about an axis at an obtuse angle to the axis of said block, pistons in said cylinders, connecting rods connecting said pistons with said crank disc, a fixed valve member in the head of said. cylinder block comprising a cylindric valve sleeve having series of inlet and exhaust ports connecting with said cylinders, a distributor head mounted on said cylinder block and provided with a contact member for each cylinder, a fixed disc mounted adjacent said distributorhead, and a rotative intermediate disc having a single contact member, adapted to have wiping contact with said distributor head and a planetary gear member carried by said intermediate disc and meshing with gear teeth on said fixed disc and distributor head.

3. In an internal combustion motor, the combination of an axially rotative cylinder block, a crank disc operatively connected with said cylinder block to rotate therewith about an axis at an obtuse angle to the axis of said block, pistons in said cylinders, connecting rods connecting said pistons with said crank disc, a spark plug in each cylinder, a distributor head mounted at the head end of said cylinder block and provided with a plurality of annularly spaced contacts each electrically connected with a spark plug, a fixed disc mounted adjacent said distributor head and spaced axially above the same, and a driven disc intermediate said distributor head and said iixed disc and having a single contact member adapted to have wiping contact with the contacts of said distributor head, and means operatively connecting said driven disc with said head and fixed disc for driving the same at substantially onehalf the speed of said distributor head.

i. In an internal combustion motor, the combination of a main drive shaft, a crank disc mounted on said drive shaft and prosaid crank case, a cap fixed to said housing and supporting the upper end of said bearing shaft, pistons mounted on said cylinders, connecting rods connecting each of said pistons with a corresponding crank arm, gear members connecting said crank disc with the adjacent end of said cylinder block and a thrust bearing for the lower end of said bearing shaft supported by said crank disc.

5. In an internal combustion motor, the combination of a cylindricrhousing having openings therein, a cylinder blockof cylindric shape mounted to rotate upon its axis within said housing and composed of a plurality of cylindrical lobes within each of which a cylinder is enclosed open at its lower end, a crank disc journaled in said housing adjacent the lower end of said cylinder block to rotate about an axis arranged at an obtuse angle to the axis of said block, said crank disc having a plurality of radial crank arms, gear members connecting said cylinder block and said crank disc, a drive shaft operatively connected with said crank disc, pistons in said cylinders and connecting rods connecting said pistons with said crank arms.

Sign-ed at Chicago, 111. this 27th day of April, 1927.

WILLIAM FUHR. 

